Did Hypnagogia, Apophenia and the mob affect help intellectuals create religion/rituals.?

Was reading up on sleep onset when this question came to mind. I use the word intellectuals loosely, think of Adolf Hitler, an intelligent man, and how he seduced the Weimar republic into acting on his behalf. Like Hitler, how have intellectuals affected society through apophenia and their own hypnagogia. Trying to keep things in the BC, but any response is welcome.